Planning

Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) Retainer Block Pilot

READING BOROUGH COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

05 Jun 2026 at 12:39

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Reading Borough Council is currently in the planning stage of a procurement process for the "Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) Retainer Block Pilot." This initiative falls within the social services industry category and operates primarily in Reading, located in the region designated as UKJ11 in the United Kingdom. The Council seeks to engage with the market to explore a retainer-based block model for securing local foster care capacity. Key dates include a provider registration deadline in early July 2026, a virtual market engagement event in mid-July 2026, and the engagement's culmination by the end of August 2026. This is part of a structured pre-procurement engagement, intending to decide whether to proceed to a pilot phase.

This tender process offers substantial opportunities for business growth, particularly for Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) and organisations focused on social work and social services. Businesses located within or capable of servicing the Reading area, especially those with existing or potential foster carers within a 20-mile radius of the Reading Civic Centre, will find this opportunity highly beneficial. The Council is looking to engage in a co-design process with providers, providing potential contractors the chance to shape the model and service expectations. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations are especially encouraged to participate, given the project's alignment with strengthening local placement capacities and its collaborative design approach.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) Retainer Block Pilot

Notice Description

Reading Borough Council is undertaking a soft market testing and engagement exercise to explore a new commissioning approach for securing local foster care capacity through a retainer based block model. The Council is seeking early engagement with Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) to test whether this approach is viable in the current market, particularly in relation to the availability of carers within a 20 mile radius of Reading Civic Centre, and to understand whether the model is operationally practical and commercially attractive to providers. This exercise will also support a co design process with the market, enabling providers to help shape and refine the proposed model, service expectations, and delivery approach ahead of any potential procurement. The Council is particularly keen to work collaboratively to ensure that any future model is realistic, deliverable, and aligned with market capacity and provider insight. This PIN forms part of a structured pre procurement engagement process and is intended to inform decision making on whether to proceed to a pilot and how the model should be designed. Who Should Engage We welcome interest from: * IFAs with existing or potential carers in the Reading area * Providers able to support local placement development * Organisations interested in collaborative model design

Planning Information

The Council will undertake structured engagement as follows: • PIN publication: June 2026 • Provider registration deadline: Early July 2026 • Market engagement event (virtual): Mid July 2026 (based on registration numbers, will expand to multiple sessions) • RFI issue and responses: End of July 2026 • 1:1 provider discussions: August 2026 (these would be booked directly) • Market engagement summary published: August 2026 Who Should Engage We welcome interest from IFAs with existing or potential carers in the Reading area. We wish to hear from providers who are able to support local foster care placements and organisations interested in collaborative model design How to Participate To express interest, please contact: byron.taylor@reading.gov.uk chris.martin@reading.gov.uk Reference: IFA Retainer Pilot - Market Engagement

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06aebc
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/053342-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85310000 - Social work services

85320000 - Social services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£49,600 Under £100K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Jun 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
21 Sep 20264 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Nov 2026 - 30 Apr 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
READING BOROUGH COUNCIL
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
READING
Postcode
RG1 2LU
Post Town
Reading
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ16 Berkshire West
Delivery Location
TLJ11 Berkshire
Local Authority
Reading
Electoral Ward
Abbey
Westminster Constituency
Reading Central

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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